Everything Changes
by Pari
Summary: Formerly titled 'Afterglow' I changed it as so it's not confused or associated with another fic here with that title. This is my take on the last 10 minutes of episode 2x3: Road Narrows and beyond. It is SPOILERISH. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

The act had been impulsive but she couldn't say it was a huge surprise or something that came on suddenly to be dismissed later with an, "I don't know what came over me". No, this had been building for a while now, and if she were to be completely honest it had been building since the moment they had met. But then it would have been wrong, no matter how often the thought had crossed her mind the overwhelming nausea that would fill her stomach would quickly bring her back to her senses.

He was her husband's doctor, her dying husband's doctor. It didn't matter that their marriage had been strained for some time. It didn't matter that she had start planning an escape route from their marriage. What did matter was the fact that her husband was dying, and he needed her and most of all she needed him to need her.

Now that wasn't an issue, it had been two years since her husband had passed. Now she allowed her desires out to play. All those fantasies of him that would have her lonely nights filled with moans and her body drenched in sweat as she tossed and turned in her empty over-sized bed. All those fantasies were now becoming a reality and she couldn't help the thought that it had never been 'this' good. Not those fantasies of finally being with this man, not even all the times she had been with her husband. None of it had been 'this' good, and 'good' wasn't even a word that justified her current feelings, or the sensations coursing through her, but it was the only coherent thought she could come up with.

The initial touch of his hand upon her skin had been simple and yet seemed electric and so unlike all the other times he had touched her. His kiss had been softer than she had imagined and yet not as gentle, it was more urgent, demanding, and even bruising. Not that she would complain, not when it felt so incredible, she'd worry about the swelling tomorrow, tonight she would savor every second, every taste. When he finally entered her slowly but deeply, she had to bite back the scream that had formed in her throat. She had to will away the tears that sprang to her eyes. His size, the girth of him made her body declare war with itself. There was the part of her that whimpered and clawed at his back, the part that wanted to be free of the burning pain that tore at her womb. A pain she knew wasn't from lack of practice or experience, but due to never having someone so 'big' entering her. Then there was the part of her that moaned and mewled, the part that gripped at him to hold him close, the part that kissed him desperately, and reveled in the exquisite pain which was steadily building into something more, that she couldn't find the words to describe.

She was lost, lost to the fullness she felt with him inside her, stretching her beyond what up until this moment she had thought was humanly possible. His thrusts came faster and deeper, and she fell in sync with his movements. Her gasps and moaned harmonized with his groans and growls. Her chants of 'Fuck!' and 'Oh God!' would be finished by his chants of 'Si bon' and 'Si parfait'. The sensations had made her temporarily delirious and she lost track of time and space. She hadn't known how long they had rocked and swayed together. She couldn't recall when their position had changed but she knew it had because she was being pounded into a solid surface. Suddenly her body was hit with a sharp sensation that caused her to cry out his name as her eyes became large and aware as they locked onto his. His eyes were reassuring, and loving. She could tell by the way he was looking at her, the way he grasped her hand in his and interlocked their fingers, and the way his thrusts became less erratic and more 'sure', he had sensed the change in her. He fused his forehead to hers but maintain eye contact as his strokes became steady, longer and deeper still. When her mouth fell open and a mournful gasp came out, he kissed her and quickened his pace.

Finally her body tensed and arched up off the floor, her scream swallowed up in a kiss. After a few moments her body settled, the tremors became slight, and a lethargic peace fell over her. But she held him even closer as his thrusts became 'crazed' and his pants and grunts filled the air. His hot breath danced against the tender flesh of her neck. He half howled and half laughed when his release finally struck him. His body continued to thrust involuntarily as he spent himself inside of her. Both felt sated, both felt complete. Nothing had ever felt so perfect, so right for either of them, and they both knew that nothing would ever be better than or as good as their union. She never wanted the moment or the feelings of the moment to end. She didn't care that they were stark naked on her living room floor, or that her teenage daughter could be home at any moment. It didn't matter because, she thought, nothing would or could ruin the high she was on.

"Marry me,"

She heard the words as they fell from his lips like a silent prayer, and all she could think was how wrong her prior thought had been.

* * *

Translation:

'Si parfait' ~ 'So Perfect'

'Si bon' ~ 'So Good'


	2. Chapter 2

While he slept she had slowly extracted herself from his arms and gone to his place to get a few things, his toothbrush, razors, and some change of clothes. She had wanted to go before…right after his 'damning' words but he had refused to let her. Instead he had swept her up into his arms and taken her to bed, and after a few moments she had forgotten his question. Then after a couple of hours she had forgotten her own name but was sure she would have said yes to anything he might have asked her.

When she returned home she rushed about quietly readying herself for work. She had requested a few days off to look after Tom but now the thought of being around him, being alone with him sent her in a panic. The best way she knew of to deal with her panic was to create avoidance and the best way to attain that was to bury herself in her work.

* * *

"Hey what are you doing back here," Bobbie greeted her as Christina passed the nurse's station.

"Uh…I work here," She replied as she threw her fellow nurse and friend her best 'perplexed' look.

"Not for the next four days, thought you took time off to look after Tom."

"I did but there are a few things I wanted to tie up otherwise I'd be swamped when I get back," Christina said around a force smile.

"Uh, Huh," Bobbie regarded her suspiciously. "Ok what happened, did you two have a fight."

"What? No," Christina answered as she continued walking, headed to her office.

"Well something happened I can tell," Bobbie continued her interrogation as she fell in step with Christina. "What did you finally let him knock those boots?" She threw out jokingly with a playful smile, which instantly disappeared and her eyes bugged out when silence was the only response she got. "Oh my GOD!" Christina stopped just at her door, which she unlocked and then yanked her friend inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Will you keep it down, I don't want it all over the hospital, and I mean that."

"You know me better than that, my lips are sealed, but not yours…spill." Bobbie nudged as she took the seat in front of Christina's desk, while Christina flopped into the seat behind her desk where she threw her head back, closed her eyes and groaned. "Well that doesn't sound like you had a good time. Was it bad, I mean was he…bad?" These words brought a frown to Christina's face as she opened her eyes and looked at her friend.

"What? No, no in fact I now get all those clichés you hear, 'I felt the earth move', 'best I ever had', and 'hung like a horse'. Trust me he handled his business and then some."

"Really, I'd have never thought Dr. Wakefield had it in him. So the way he walks around here acting all 'cocky'…"

"Believe me it's not an act and yes he can back it up." Christina stated with a smile as a flash of remembrance hit her and made her shiver slightly.

"OK, so why are you here instead of home with Mr. Cocky?" Bobbie threw her a curious look and Christina debated about whether she wanted to have this conversation. "You know if you stay here I'm gonna hound you all day until you break. You should just save us both the time and effort and tell me."

"Earlier tonight Tom asked me to marry him." She blurted out and neither of them could stop the girly squeal that they shared.

"Oh my God, seriously, you put it on him like 'that'?"

"No I did not in fact he did most of the 'work', Miss inexperienced here remember?" Bobbie simply gave her a nod and the wave of the hand.

"Please tell me he didn't ask during…"

"No right after."

"Wow, it must've be gooooood," Bobbie couldn't help but to tease as she giggled, which caused Christina to roll her eyes and giggle despite herself.

"I don't think that was why he asked, I probably wouldn't be so freaked out if it was because of that. I think he asked because of Paul."

"Dr. Hyun?" Bobbie asked with a frown. "What does he have to do with this?"

"I think Paul's death is really affecting Tom, no I know it is and understandably so. I mean they've been friends since med school. I don't know…I think what happened to Tom, the whole near death experience and Paul dying. I just think that was the reason behind the sudden proposal. You know Capre Diem."

"Yeah, so what did you tell him?"

"Nothing, I was speechless. I think he saw the panic in my eyes, the fight or flight feeling set in but before I could react, he was making love to me again, and I think I lost consciousness after that." She smiled, blushing a bit.

"Wow," Bobbie chuckled and then became serious again. "Wait how long after his climax did he start again, I mean what was the down time?"

"I don't know a minute maybe two," Christina said as she bunched her brow at the woman seated across from her. "Why, what does that have to do with anything?" Before Bobbie could educate Miss Inexperience on why that was a very good thing a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Christina called out and the door opened to reveal the last person she had expected to see. "Tom, what are you doing here?" She chastised as she quickly stood and moved to give him the support of her tiny frame. He didn't really need it but felt it was a good excuse to wrap himself around her.

"Dr. Wakefield I'm glad to see you 'up' and about." Bobbie greeted him as she stood from her seat. Christina maneuvered Tom to it and settled him down. "I better get back to work." Bobbie said but made no move towards the door, she just stood with her head tilted as she let her eyes rake over Tom's frame. Upon noticing the two sets of eyes staring at her; one in amusement the other in confusion she smiled a bit. "Yeah, I'll talk to you later," She tossed to Christina who gave a nod. "And I'm sure you'll be 'up' and at'm in no time Dr. Wakefield." Christina nearly burst out laughing at Bobbie's words, but contained herself as she ushered her friend to the door. When she closed the door she moved back to her desk.

"You should be in bed," She said as she picked through some files on her desk purposely avoiding his eyes.

"Funny I was thinking the same thing about you." Tom said softly and she couldn't stop her eyes from lifting and locking onto his. "You should be in bed, naked, splayed beneath me." Her eyes rolled shut as a tiny moan escaped her lips, which she licked as she opened her eyes again.

"Tom," She whispered.

"Or on top of me, I'm fine with either way," He continued as he leaned up from the chair and reached his right hand across the desk, grasping her at the nape of her neck and then pulled her from her seat towards him. He stared into her eyes as their lips just barely touched, waiting and when her lips parted in anticipation as he knew they would he dipped in swiftly and captured her mouth with his. After a few seconds the kiss deepened. "Up," He mumbled around their kissing, and though an outsider looking in on them may not have understood him, Christina completely did and she turned her body a bit and sat her backside atop the desk. He let his right hand move from her neck, secure in the knowledge she wouldn't break their kiss. He moved his hand to her legs which he grasped and twirled until they were agape in front of him, Then his hand fell to her waist, he gripped her and tugged her, pulling her closer to the edge of the desk as he nestled himself between her welcoming thighs.

"We shouldn't be doing this here," Christina gasped out as Tom finally released her mouth so they could get some air. "Someone could walk in." She continued with her reasoning as her hands moved under his shirt and graze across his muscular abdomen. She yanked at the shirt wanting it out of her way, and when Tom unattached his mouth from her neck to allow her to pulled the shirt up and over his head, a knock came at the door. Christina quickly released his shirt and then gently shoved him back until he stumble down in his seat and then crossed her legs as she remained perched on the desk. "How do I look?" She questioned in a whisper as she ran her hands over her hair, happy that she had braided it back.

"Magnifique…séduisant." He said in French as he smiled. He had learned during the night how she liked it when he spoke French, also the lovely way her body reacted to it. His eyes twinkled when he noticed her rubbing her thighs together trying to create friction, or maybe aleve some pressure. The knock came again.

"Come in," Christina called out as she kept her eyes locked to Tom's, who in turned smirked back at her. Bobbie only stuck her head in the door and was stunned silent as she stared at the two people in the office who seemed lost in each other.

"Uhm, sorry didn't mean to interrupt anything." This gained her Christina's full attention.

"You didn't, what did you need?"

"I just wanted to give you the heads up, Gayle just announced a 'surprise' audit and budget review."

"Uhm...Ewe," Christina said in her 'valley girl' voice as she made a face.

"Yeah I just thought I should warn you since technically you're not supposed to be here, either of you. If you don't want to spend the rest of the night and most of the morning in here with Nurse Gayle you better head for the hills now." Christina contemplated it for a brief moment, a budget review and audit would give her the excuse she needed to avoid Tom and his proposal. But the way her body was humming for his, and to be touched by him had been the deciding factor.

"I guess we had better hit the road." She threw to Tom who was already standing. The predatory gleam in his eyes told her she needn't worry about any discussions that he wasn't in the mood for talking about anything, least of all his marriage proposal. No she knew he had other things on his mind, and they hadn't made it out of the hospital's underground parking lot before he had gotten a few of those things off his mind.

* * *

Translation:

*Magnifique…séduisant ~ "Beautiful...beautful" or "Magnificant...beautiful"


	3. Chapter 3

Six Weeks later

* * *

She had been in denial, subconsciously, but still in complete denial. To her defense the hospital had kept her busy, so busy that at times she would forget to eat. Thankfully Tom had noticed and had started bringing her lunch and snacks. Now it was something impossible to ignore, when she held the proof in her hand. She couldn't blame the sickness on eating on the run or eating so much greasy food. She couldn't say stress had made her 'late', with Gayle running half the ER her normal duties had been cut in half. Nor could she blame the tenderness in her breasts on Tom's daily fondling and nightly suckling. No she had it in black and white Christina Hawthorne was pregnant and scared out of her mind.

"Congratulations?" Bobbie said more as a question than a statement. She was unsure of how to handle the situation. She had known the second Christina had asked to speak to her in private that it was something serious. Then she knew when they were finally enclosed behind the locked door of Christina's office and by the way Christina's lips trembled slightly and her eyes glossed over with impending tears, it may not be 'happy' news. "That is the right thing to say right, 'congratulations' or should I be giving my condolences?"

"Congratulations would be more appropriate, I mean this is a good thing, right?" Christina whined out as her face crumbled and she finally let her tears flow. Bobbie moved from her seat and around the desk to her friend, grasping some tissues from the box atop the desk.

"Well I don't know," She replied as she handed the napkins to Christina as she spoke softly and gently rubbed her friend back. "I suppose if this is a happy occasion, but sweetie you don't seem too happy about it."

"I'm happy," Christina said as she blew her nose. "I'm gonna have a baby with the doctor I'm seeing who I may be in love with, and will probably have to marry now…and I feel like my life has turned into déjà vu."

"Oh, because of Michael and the whole getting pregnant with Camille and then 'doing the right thing' and getting married? Sweetie you know we've come a long way since the 90's, no one is gonna demand you stitch a Scarlett letter on your shirt if you have a baby out of wedlock. You don't have to get married to Tom, have you told him yet?" Christina shook her head as she took a deep breath and then blew it out.

"No, I just got the results and I freaked out, and God I don't even know how I'm gonna tell him. What if he's not ready to be a father?"

"Then he should be more careful when he has sex." Bobbie answered.

"That was my fault I got off the pill during Michael's treatment. I just got so wrapped up in that that I forgot to take them, then after Michael died I had the arrangements to make and then while I went through the grief process there was really no need to worry about it, wasn't like I was getting any. Then Tom and I…it happen so suddenly. How could 'I' have forgotten to use protection, I'm a nurse and the mother of a 17 year old daughter, whom I'm always preaching to about using protection if she's going to have sex. I feel like a hypocrite?"

"Hey stop beating yourself up, 'Dr.' Wakefield should have been prepared as well, it's not just the woman's responsibility and if he gives you any crap about it you just let me know." Christina couldn't help but to smile at her friend's overprotective nature.

"I don't think Tom will be disappointed, but I don't want him using 'this' as an excuse to get married."

"Oh he's still asking you?"

"Every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed, if he's not with me he's calling."

"Awwww that's so romantic." Bobbie swooned a bit.

"Yeah," Christina agreed as she smiled. "But I don't know if I want to get married. I've been married with a child for most of my life. It's only been two years that I've been single but not really. In a lot of ways I'm still emotionally attached to Michael."

"So is the deciding factor whether you love Tom as much as you loved Michael?" Bobbie asked a bit confused by the dilemma her friend was having.

"No, when Tom was in that accident, when I saw him lying there," She had to close her eyes and take some deep breaths to calm herself before she could continue. "I know that I love Tom, that I'm crazy in love with him and what I feel for him, it's way more, "Christina paused again to collect her thoughts. "With Michael we were just kids you know, just starting out in the world. Just finding ourselves and getting to know each other, in serious like maybe falling in love then BAM I got pregnant with Camille, and I let Michael convince me that the best thing to do was to get married."

"Are you telling me that you didn't want to get married and you weren't even sure you were in love with Michael?" Bobbie questioned in surprise and the silence along with the look in Christina's eyes gave her the answer. "Well at least this time around you know for sure you're in love with the guy right?"

"Yeah but I don't know if I want to get married. To jump out of one serious committed relationship and leap right into another one."

"So don't, women have been having babies out of wedlock since the beginning of time, you think Adam and Eve walked down the aisle?" Bobbie quirked up her brow and Christina chuckled a bit. "If you want to just be Christina RN, mother to Camille and this little one," She reached out and tickled Christina's flat belly, and garnered a giggle from Christina. "And not be Christina Wakefield then do it. So when are you going to tell the proud papa?" Christina lifted her arm to look at her watch.

"He should be coming out of surgery right about now, so no time like the present." She said as she bit at her bottom lip.

"Well remember what I said if he gives you any trouble you just let me know."

"I will thank you, and thanks for listening."

"Anytime, and if you need me you know where to find me," Bobbie stated as she gave Christina's hand a squeeze and then stood and moved to the door, which she unlocked and opened a bit. "But just so you know had it been me I would have snatch Dr. Tom Wakefield up and taken him to the justice of the peace the second after he had asked me to marry him, but that's just me." She said with a wide smile as she walked out and closed the door behind her. The smile that Christina had been holding instantly fell from her face as she protectively wrapped her arms around her belly.

"OK little baby time to go tell your daddy about you, don't be scared though because no matter what, I'm your momma and I already love you so much, and I'll always be here to take care of you. I promise." After one last 'deep' cleansing breath Christina stood from her desk, grabbed the test results from her desktop and headed for the door.

* * *

The surgery had run longer than anyone had expected it to and when Tom had finally made his way from the OR he was exhausted. As he passed the waiting room on his way to shower and change his clothes he was stunned when his eyes instantly locked onto the small body curled up in one of the waiting room chairs, sound asleep. A smile spread across his face as he entered the room. He ignored the curious eyes that seemed to follow him about the room, and kneeled beside the chair that housed his heart. He brushed her hair, which was curly today and fell in cascades across her face, back behind her ear. He then leaned in and kissed her gently upon the lips, but soon added pressure and dipped his tongue in between her relaxed lips.

"Mmmm," Christina moaned as she fell into the kiss, knowing instinctively who it was that was kissing her, but wanted to tease him a bit. "Mmmm, Denzel," She murmured around the kiss, and smiled when she felt Tom's lips form into a smile.

"Mmmm, Halle," He replied causing Christina to swiftly end the kiss and pull back a bit.

"That's so not funny," She reprimanded.

"Really," He bunched his brow. "Cause I thought 'mmmm, Denzel' was hilarious." That awarded him a giggle. "What are you doing in here, awww baby were you waiting for me?"

"Yes as a matter of fact I was," Christina answered her smile faded a bit as she began to remember why she had been waiting for him. "I have something I need to tell you." She said as she sat up and then stood before him.

"OK, what did you 'need' to tell me?" He asked he stood up and watched her with concern in his eyes, he could almost see the panic coming off of her.

"I think it would probably be better if you just read it," She held out the piece of paper to him but right before he could grasp it she yanked it back behind her. "You know what you just came out of a long surgery, you're probably tired and hungry, so you know this could wait…" Her words were cut off when Tom stepped right up to her and reached behind her and grasped the paper from her grip. "Or not," She added as she diverted her eyes to the floor and she worried her bottom lip with her teeth. There was a very long paused and she looked up at the man before her to find him reading and then re-reading the paper he held in his hand, her insides clinched and her body grew stiff, readying itself for rejection.

"You're," He finally spoke as he looked down at her and point to her belly. "That means that I'm," He then point the finger back on himself. "We're gonna have a baby." He stated. "We're gonna have a baby?" He restated but this time in the form of a question.

"Yeah," Christina replied meekly still unsure as to whether he was happy about the situation or not, but she didn't have long to wonder. She got the answer when he reached down and lifted her up in his arms and kissed her breathless. When he finally released her mouth she was panting a bit.

"We're gonna have a baby, I'm gonna be a daddy." He said in a near yell as his face held a goofy lopsided smile. "You're having my baby," He then twirled her around a bit invoking giggles from her. "She having my baby, I'm gonna be a dad." He said to the people littered about the waiting room.

"Shhh, if the wrong person hears it'll be all over the hospital within the hour." Christina said as she eyed the entrance.

"Yeah I plan on going up to the roof and yelling about it and on the way up there and probably on the way back down, I'll be telling every single person I pass. So yeah everybody in this hospital is gonna know about it within the hour." He responded as his smile widened even more and Christina couldn't help but to be filled with joy at his overjoyed state.

"So you're happy?" She asked as she wrapped her arms comfortably around his neck and stared directly in his eyes as her feet dangled a good three feet off the ground.

"Happy is not even an appropriate word for what I am right now, in fact I don't even think there's a word in existence to describe the way I feel right now. Why?" His smile melted into a frown. "You thought I wouldn't be happy, that I wouldn't want this?"

"I wasn't sure." She answered honestly.

"Baby, when we made love for the very first time I can remember thinking, 'Yes…finally…thank you God' and I just knew that nothing would or could ever be greater than being wrapped around you, inside you, nothing. Now I know I was so wrong. You have managed to fulfill two dreams for me, not only do I get to have you but you've also given me a child. Do you know how amazing you are? Do you know how much I love you?" She did, she could see it all in his eyes.

"I still don't want to get married…yet" She blurted out quickly and was relieved when the huge smile returned to his face.

"You just let me know when and I'll be there. Besides having a baby with me is a deeper bond than a marriage, having a baby is for life. So you've just been given a life sentence with me."

"I think I can handle that."

"Good," He then pulled her closer and began slow dancing her around the room and singing. "She's having my baby…she's having my baby." Christina giggled as she rested her head against his shoulder. It only took three words to shatter the peaceful serenity that has engulfed her.

"Oh My God." Tom stopped dancing and turned them to face Camille who stood in the doorway holding a tray full of meds.

"Camille," Christina called out as she struggled a bit in Tom's arms and he quickly and carefully settled her back on the floor and moved behind her as she moved to where Camille stood by the doorway. "I'm so sorry, sweetie, I didn't want you to find out I'm pregnant that way."

"What?" Camille's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "You're pregnant?" Her gaping mouth quickly formed a smile. "I'm gonna have a baby brother or a baby sister? Tom you dirty dog you," Camille teased as she reached out and playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Wait you're not mad?" Christina asked a bit surprised.

"Mom, why would I be mad? I do know about sex and you two do have a lot of it, our walls aren't that thick and you're noisy," She answered her mother's questioning gaze. "So it's not surprising that he'd knock you up." Camille said with a giggle.

"So what was with the 'oh my god', earlier?" Christina asked mimicking Camille's voice.

"OK first of all, I so do not sound like that," Camille defended and both Tom and Christina chuckled. "And the 'oh my god' was due to my embarrassment. I mean it's one thing having to witness your 'private' displays of affection, but in no way shape or form do I want to see the 'public' displays of affection. 'PDA' is only ok children when it's 'Private'."

"We'll try to remember that," Tom said with a look of confusion.

"Please do and congratulations," Camille said as she pulled her mom into a tight embrace and then moved and embraced Tom. "I don't know how much control you have over it 'now' but if you could give me a little sister that would be awesome." She said directly into Tom's ear as she hugged him. He released her with a smile.

"I'll see what I can do." He promised.

"What 'exactly' do you know about sex Camille?" Christina asked causing Camille's eyes to widen.

"Uhm sorry mom can't talk right now gotta get these meds to the third floor. Bye." Camille then rushed from the room and down the hall.

"Oh we're gonna have that discussion Camille, count on it!" She yelled after her daughter and then turned and threw a pout at Tom. He smiled lovingly at her and pulled her into his arms "I sure hope you were shooting out little boys the day this one was conceived," She said as she settled into his welcoming embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

Twenty Weeks Later

* * *

"Outta the way, outta the way!" One of the orderlies called out and she instinctively wrapped her arms around the slight swell of her belly and planted herself tightly against the wall. She didn't move until she saw the empty gurney fly by and crash into a wall further down the corridor. "Sorry!" The orderly offered as he rushed by her to retrieve the gurney.

"Be more careful…please," Christina called after him as she lovingly rubbed her belly.

"Hey are you ok?" A protective arm wrapped around her, pulling her into a secure embrace, and when she pulled back she was greeted with the concerned eyes of Dr. Tom Wakefield.

"Yeah I'm ok," She smiled up at him and then her eyes fell down to his hands which were both caressing her belly.

"What happened?" Bobbie asked as she and Gayle moved up from behind Tom, having heard the commotion and came to investigate.

"An Orderly lost one of the gurneys," Christina began to explain.

"Idiot!" Gayle began to reprimand. "Watch what you're doing."

"To his defense this floor is at an angle." Christina stated and three sets of curious eyes stared at her, and to make her point she reached into her pocket and removed one of the two small plumbs she had housed there and dropped it on the floor. All eyes followed it as it rolled down the corridor, following the same path the gurney had taken. It stopped just at the orderly's foot, who stooped and picked it up. "See, I never really noticed it before, but now that I'm 5 months pregnant and there's a lot more of me working against gravity…"

"Ok you're not allowed on this floor anymore." Tom commanded as he grasped her arm to support her and moved her to the nurse's station.

"What? Uh, this is the ER and I am the director…"

"Co-director," Gayle corrected as she opened a patient file and began reading.

"Co-director of nursing," Christina repeated as she dramatically rolled her eyes from Gayle back to Tom. "I have to be here."

"Ok so take the other corridor, wait is that one slanted too?" He asked out loud and he looked back over his shoulder at the corridor.

"No," Christina answered. "But I'd have to go all the way around to the other side of the building from where my office is to use that corridor, and I'm not exactly moving like Speedy Gonzalez these days."

"I don't care I don't want to risk you getting hit by some runaway gurney or you tumbling down that corridor. You're precious cargo, carrying even more precious cargo," Tom announced as one of his hands shot out and again caressed her belly. "If you want I'll come and get you, I'll push you in a wheel chair or carry you on my back," Christina threw him an amused look as she smiled at him just as his pager went off. He looked down at the message and then began backing away. "My OR's ready I gotta go," He then swooped in quickly and stole a kiss before he could hear a protest from Gayle or Christina about being 'professional'. "I mean it Christina, use the other corridor." He said as he pointed at her and then turned to head to the OR.

"Don't worry I'll be careful, this baby's precious cargo to me too you know," She called after him and he turned and gave her a nod and a smirk before he disappeared around the corner. "I mean it is inside of 'my' body." She mumbled to herself.

"I see he's already started 'nesting'," Gayle said around a rare smile as she place a file back in the bin and grabbed another. Bobbie couldn't contain her chuckle as she nodded her head in agreement to Gayle's words.

"God you have no idea," Christina confirmed. "At first I thought it was sweet and cute, the way he waited on me hand and foot. Don't get me wrong Tom's always been quite the gentleman but now…"

"He's working your last nerve," Bobbie offered and Christina only arched her brow in response.

"Last night when I went to the bathroom he came to the door wanting to know if he could help, he actually said he would 'wipe' me if I needed him too." Christina said as her face took on a scowl, while both Bobbie and Gayle erupted into laughter.

"Well," Gayle said as she calmed herself. "All expectant fathers, well at least the ones that stick around, they all have this 'I did that…this is mine' mentality and they spend the entire 40 weeks trying to protect 'their' investment, and they don't even see that they're driving us up the wall. If he gets too bad and you need some space, just do what I did fake a 'craving', a craving for ice cream that's only sold in a shop that's 40 miles away." Gayle smirked and then left the nurse's station to go check on a patient. Christina and Bobbie giggled after her.

"That's actually not a bad idea, I'm gonna remember that." Christina said as she picked up a Patient's file.

"Oh don't be so hard on Wakefield, he just loves you and doesn't want anything to happen. I gotta tell you though that kid of yours is going to be spoiled rotten if its daddy has anything to say about it." Christina nodded her head in agreement. "By the way do we know yet if it's a girl or a boy?"

"Tom wants it to be a surprise," Christina replied.

"Ok, so is it a girl or a boy?" Bobbie asked with a smirk as she stared at her friend knowingly, but Christina just stared back innocently. "Come on I know you, and I know 'you' couldn't wait to be surprised, so spill I want to start my baby shopping, and need to know the color palette to use."

"I could so wait to be surprised," Christina said in mock offense. "But if you really need to know a color palette I'd say 'blues' and 'greens' are good choices." She added with a broad smile, that Bobbie matched.

"Oh congratulations," Bobbie exclaimed as she gave Christina a quick hug.

"Thank you and please keep it to yourself, Tom really does want to be surprised, but he's gonna be over the moon he's having a son. Whenever we talk about what the baby will look like, he always refers to it as a 'he' or 'him' or 'our son'. Now Camille is a different story she's made it no secret that she wants a baby sister, so she's gonna be disappointed."

"Well maybe she'll get one next time." Bobbie teased already knowing what Christina's reaction will be.

"What? No ma'am, there will be no next time. I'm gonna make damn sure of that. I'm done I have a beautiful daughter and soon I'll have a beautiful son, we'll get a dog put up a white fence, it'll be the American dream."

"Right, so you thought up any names yet?"

"Yes for the 'if it's a girl' scenario Tom wanted to use my name, he's so unimaginative, but I liked Sophia. Sophia 'Rose', after my grandmother, Wakefield."

"Oh that's pretty," Bobbie stated.

"Yeah but now null and void, so I would like you to meet Thomas Jean-Pierre Wakefield Jr."

"Aww sweetie I'm so happy for you." Bobbie said with a smile. Their happy moment ended abruptly when another loud crash filled the corridor. They rushed to assist. Two Paramedics rushed into the ER with a very loud and combative patient.

"What's up?" Christina asked as she hurriedly put on some gloves with Bobbie backing her up.

"24 year old man, gunshot wound to the abdomen. He's a schizophrenic and off his meds." One of the paramedics stated as they unstrapped and lifted the badly injured man from their gurney onto the hospital's.

"It's ok sweetie we're here to help you ok," Christina reassure the man who seemed to be very frightened. "Just calm down and lie back so we can take a look at you ok?"

"Get away from me!" The man screamed as he lashed out his hand and struck Christina in the side. The blow instantly knocked the wind out of Christina and she crumbled to the floor.

"Uhhhggg," She moaned out in agony as everything around her; every sound and every movement came to her in slow mode. When her senses came back to her, her eyes focused onto Bobbie who was above her speaking to her.

"Christina sweetie can you hear me?"

"Owww…owwww." She replied in growing agony. "What happened, what…" She tried to sit up but a sharp pain in are side along with Bobbie's grip on her held her down.

"Don't move, you can't move. We need another doctor over here!" Bobbie screamed over her shoulder before focusing back onto her friend.

"Bobbie my side hurts, why…" Christina looked down and her eyes locked onto the knife that was still embedded into her side. "Oh God, oh God…OH GOOOOOD!" She screamed as a fear like none she had ever felt before filled her, paralyzed her, and then darkness consumed her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**: _My Aunt just passed away and I will not be posting more to this until after the Funeral on Tuesday. Thank you for reading and reviewing. Stay tuned we got a couple more chapters left._

* * *

"Get nurse Hawthorne up to the pediatric OR, and send Mr. Grayson," Bobbie spoke the man's name with distain. "Take him up to the main OR, I've already called ahead to both ORs." Bobbie then moved to follow Christine's gurney to the elevators but was stopped by Gayle.

"Bobbie, how is she?"

"I don't know it looks bad, I'm going up with her." Bobbie said as she moved to step around Gayle but Gayle blocked her.

"What about Dr. Wakefield, Mr. Grayson is going up to his OR, has anyone told his yet about what happened. You know how fast gossip gets around this place."

"Shit," Bobbie cursed and then nodded her head. "I'll be right up," She spoke to the nurse who had been holding Christina's elevator for her. "I'll try to get up to Tom before the surgery starts." Bobbie said to Gayle as she raced to one of the other elevators.

* * *

She had been too late, the OR was full and Dr. Tom Wakefield held the scalpel, readying to begin the incision. "Dr. Wakefield!" Bobbie called out of breath as she rushed into the OR.

"Nurse Jackson what the hell are you don't coming into my 'sterile' OR before scrubbing down first?" Tom barked out at her clearly pissed.

"I'm sorry doctor but I needed to get you before you started." She said as he and everyone else in the OR threw her a confused and irritated look. "There was an accident in the ER." She could tell by the way his body stiffened slightly and his eyes widened he knew what was coming next. "Christina was stabbed," She paused not sure she wanted to say more but then decided he needed the whole truth. "She was stabbed by your patient." His stunned eyes instantly locked onto the man stretched out before him, and the grip on the scalpel he still held tightened. A firm hand covered his and he turned tear filled eyes to look at Bobbie and she gently coaxed the scalpel from his hand. She handed it to one of the other nurses and then led Tom from the OR.

"Where is she?" He demanded once they were in the outside corridor, as he yanked off his surgical mask and pulled at the gloves on his hand. "Is she…"

"No, no she had a strong pulse when I last saw her, right before they rushed her up to pediatrics. But she was unconscious."

"I need to be with her." Tom stated as he rushed to the elevators and pushed the up button.

"Tom," Bobbie called to him as she moved up behind him intent on staying with him. "You know you can't barge into the pediatric OR, not during surgery." They entered the elevator and began their trek upward.

"The hell I can't, I'm the new chief of surgery remember, and I have jurisdiction over 'all' ORs."

"Yeah, but you're not a pediatric surgeon you don't know the first thing about operating on a baby still in utero. You know as well as I do we have the best pediatric surgeons in Virginia at this hospital." She could tell that even though he was agitated and frustrated he was listening to her. "Christina and your son are in good hands." It seemed to take a moment for those words to sink in but when they did his eyes snapped up to hers.

"My 'son'?" He repeated as his tears free flowed. Bobbie nodded her head and she moved to him and reached out and rubbed his back.

"Yeah,"

"I have a son?" He asked and again she nodded as she sent him a small smile. His face and his body crumbled, as he fell to the floor of the elevator. He pulled his knees to his chest and rested his head atop them and openly wailed out his joy, fear, and despair. Bobbie moved and sat beside him to give him support, and when the doors finally opened they were huddled on the floor with Tom snuggled into her embrace.

"Hold the elevator," She called to an orderly who was about to enter. "And give us a moment." The orderly nodded, he reached for the button that would lock the doors open and then stood at the doors, steering back those attempting to enter. "Hey honey, we're here, can you stand up?" Bobbie asked softly as she continued to stroke his hair, as his face remained buried in the nook of her neck. After a few seconds he sniffled and then moved back from her comforting embrace.

"Yeah," He spoke as he stood and helped Bobbie up with him. "Yeah," He took a deep breath and then stepped from the elevator as Bobbie followed him. "Camille…uh…has anyone told Camille, she wasn't there was she?" He asked as a newfound fear gripped him.

"No, her shift doesn't start for another three hours, why don't you wait in the waiting area and I'll call her now, ok?" She offered as she maneuvered him towards the lobby. He simply nodded as he walked into the waiting room and plopped down on the first seat he came upon. Bobbie watched him for a second then moved over to the pediatric nurse's station to make the call.

* * *

"She's going to be ok, right?" The tiny voice of the young girl who was curled up against him, wrapped up in his arms pulled him from his thoughts. His eyes shot to where Bobbie sat, right across from them, seeking out her support before he answered. He then turned his head and buried his nose and mouth against Camille's curly hair. He breathed in her scent deeply and kissed her scalp and then replied.

"She's gonna be just fine but there is some bad news to tell you," He said and she lifted her head from his chest and the way she looked at him with such fright he regretted his choice of words. "You're having a little brother," She visually sighed as she closed her eyes and then once again rested her head against his chest. "I know you were hoping for a baby sister…" He was cut off by the shake of her head.

"No, I was just being stupid. It doesn't matter I just want 'him' to be healthy and to be ok." He kissed her scalp again and pulled her even closer in his embrace.

"Me too," He said just as a doctor entered the waiting room.

"Hawthorne?" The doctor called out and didn't have to wait long to figure out who was awaiting word on Christina Hawthorne's condition. Three figures, two he instantly recognized, leaped from their seats and hurried to him. "Tom," He greeted.

"Dr. Hardy, how is she?"

"She made it through surgery without any complications, but we all know how 'tough' nurse Hawthorne can be. That woman's a fighter."

"And my little brother?" Camille asked the question she figured Tom was too scared to asked, and she grasped his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as they waited for the prognosis.

"Your little brother probably slept through it all, the blade never reached the womb. It was off by about 5 inches." They each let out sighs of relief as Tom pulled Camille and Bobbie to each of his sides and kissed the top of their heads.

"Vous remercier dieu" Tom spoke as he closed his eyes and lifted his face up towards the ceiling. "Merci…Merci"

"Can we see her?" Bobbie asked as she held onto Tom.

"Yeah you and Tom can, she should be in recovery now. You," He spoke to Camille. "I'm sorry but you'll have to wait an hour or so when she's moved to her private room."

"Ok," Camille acknowledge with an understanding nod though her disappointment was evident.

"Hey I'll wait with you," Bobbie said as she moved from Tom's side and grasped Camille's hand and pulled her from Tom's other side. "You go and give her kisses from both of us." She said with a smile that Tom returned.

"You gonna be OK?" Tom asked Camille not wanting to leave her.

"Yeah," She replied as she moved back to him and gave him a snug hug. "One of us should be with her in case she wakes up. I bet she'll probably be scared."

"Your mom?" Tom regarded her with a chuckle as she moved back to where Bobbie stood smiling. "No your mom 'scares' she doesn't get scared."

"Oh it's all a front. Anyone who cries every single time Bambi's mom gets shot, ain't that tough." Camille teased as she giggled a bit and Tom laughed outright around the fresh tears he hadn't even realized were falling.

"I'll send for you guys as soon as she's in her own room." Tom tossed back to them as he exited the room.

* * *

He hurried along the corridor and when he came upon an Ultrasound machine docked in the hallway he grasped it and pulled it along with him to recovery. When he entered he instantly spotted her as if his entire body was tuned to hone onto her. He couldn't help but to think that she looked so small as she laid prone in the bed hooked to several monitors. He settled at her bedside and gently pushed the bedding down from her belly and wrestled up the gown she wore. He wasn't too surprised that when he squeezed a generous amount of gel on her belly, she flinched a bit from the coldness.

"Mmmmm," She moaned as bit as a frown marred her face. The pressure of the wand rolling around her sore midsection grasped her full attention and her eyes opened.

"Bonjour beau," Tom greeted as he leaned up and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?" He asked as he stroked her head with one hand and controlled the ultrasound wand with the other as his eyes locked onto the screen.

"My stomach hurts…Oh God, Tom." Her eyes snapped wider as she became fully aware, memories of what had happened to her flooded her mind. Her body jerked as she attempted to bolt up as her eyes looked down at her bare belly. Tom's hand shot to her chest and held her down.

"Hey careful or you're gonna pull your stitches loose. You're ok and the baby's ok, see?" He then turned the screen he had been watching around a bit so she could get a full view of it. When she saw the tiny form of their child moving on the screen, it's little heart beating strongly, she let out a sob as she reached up and covered her mouth with her right hand to contain her screams of joy, as she grasped Tom's right hand with her left one. "It seems our 'son' is gonna be as tough as his mama." She laughed through the tears. "Here hold this," He placed the hand he was holding around the wand. "I'm going to go let the nurses know you're awake so we can get you moved to your own room. We've got another baby in the waiting room needing to see her mother.

"Oh Camille, is she ok?" Christina asked a new concerned filled her.

"Yeah Bobbie's with her, she's just anxious to see you. I don't think she'll be able to relax until she can actually 'see' for herself that you're ok. I'll be right back," He spoke as he stood and moved to leave but instead he leaned over her, then down and grasped her lips with his, pulling her into a sensual kiss. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against hers and stared intensely into her eyes. "Please, please don't ever scare me like that again. OK?" She smiled up at him.

"OK," She promised.

* * *

Translations:  
Vous remercier dieu ~ "Thank you God"  
Merci ~ "Thank you"  
Bonjour Beau ~ "Hello Beautiful"


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note**: _I know I said I wasn't going to update this until after Wednesday, but it seemed that last night insomnia was my friend so I couldn't sleep and in fact I didn't sleep until around 5am so I worked on the next chapter of the fic. Only one more chapter to complete this. Anyway I hope you enjoy._

* * *

Thirty-Eight Weeks Later

* * *

"Waddle you doing here?" Bobbie called out to the woman who slowly trekked towards the nurse's station.

"Did you just say 'waddle'?" Christina asked with her tongue in cheek, as she rested both of her hands against her lower back for support and to balance the weight of her protruding belly.

"Waddle you talking about, why waddle I say that?" Bobbie asked innocently and she smiled as the other nurses standing by giggled.

"Ha, ha, you're so funny." Christina said as she moved behind the nurse's desk and sat in the first vacant seat she could find. "I stopped by to take Tom to lunch. I know he has three surgeries set for today and knowing him he won't take a break and eat unless 'I' make him."

"You do understand the concept of maternity leave right?" Ray asked as he stood beside Bobbie reviewing a patient's chart.

"I think it's the 'leave' part she can't get her mind around." Bobbie said as she turned to him as if he was the only one there to hear her, before she turned back to Christina and flashed her a bright smile.

"Look I know that I'm on maternity leave but I still got to take care of my man, make sure he isn't starving to death, right?" Christina offered.

"He doesn't look like he's starving today," One of the nurses mumbled but loud enough so that the others at the station heard her, as she nodded her head towards the corridor. Bobbie and Ray craned their necks and looked and their brows arched, which peaked Christina's interest.

"What are you talking about?" She asked as she turned to lean over to look but found that her belly got in her way. Bobbie seeing her dilemma held out her hand and helped Christina stand up. When Christina was finally able to see what the others were looking at a scowl washed over her face. She stood staring in disbelief as Dr. Tom Wakefield stood chatting amicably with a blonde nurse. "Who is that?" She asked as she jutted her jaw out to the side a bit and sent a side glance to Bobbie.

"Uhm that's Nurse Parker." Bobbie replied.

"Nurse Parker, and how longer has Nurse Parker been working here?"

"Three years I believe, but you've probably never seen her before she usually works the graveyard shift and under Gayle, we've had to shift some people around because both you and another nurse are on maternity leave." Bobbie stated. "Before you get your blood pressure up, he's a doctor and she's a Nurse the two have to converse some times."

"Is that what you see, 'cause that's not what I see." Christina said as they continued to watch the two 'conversing'. Tom read over the chart Nurse Parker had given him while Nurse Parker poked out her over endowed chest and made googly eyes at him. "Naw, what I see is some barracuda who thinks she's gonna land herself a young, hot, doctor, and it aint happening."

"Christina, I think you're over reacting. The hormones are working overtime, hun." Bobbie stated just as Nurse Parker poked her breasts out even more, threw her head back and laughed while she playfully swatted at Tom's chest. Even he stared at her a bit perplexed wondering what was so funny. "Ok you better go get your man girl," Bobbie said as she nudged Christina in the back. With a nod of her head Christina stepped from behind the Nurse's desk and headed down the corridor. Tom spotted her and instantly his face lit up with love and it warmed her heart to know that she still invoked 'that' kind of reaction in him, considering she thought she was as big as Shamu. He stepped past Nurse Parker and headed towards her, "Good Boy' she thought as she walked into his open arms.

"Hey baby, what are you doing here?" Tom asked just before pulling her into a deep kiss. When he pulled back they were both panting slightly.

"Well I came to see if you wanted to grab some lunch but now I think I just want some more of that." She said with a huge saucy smile. The past couple of month had found her very horny and from Tom's point of view damn near insatiable not that he was gonna complain, in fact he was quite happy to oblige her whenever and wherever the mood struck her.

"Uhm Dr. Wakefield they're expecting us up in the OR in a half an hour." Nurse Parker spoke from behind him and when he stood back to regard her Christina could have sworn the Nurse was throwing hard side way glares at her, but before Christina could ask her if she had a problem, Tom's voice interrupted.

"Well it is a simple appendicitis I can get Dr. Daniels to stand in for me. I'll call him right now."

"Are you sure?" Christina asked genuinely surprised and flattered by his offer.

"Yeah I'm sure, my baby's hungry and It's my job to make sure she's…satisfied," He announced with a sexy smile, stunning everyone within ear shot except Christina who simply giggled and stared up at him like some fangirl. "Just give me a minute OK?" She nodded as he leaned in and gave her a slow, sensual kiss that was swiftly ended by Gayle's harping.

"Oh will you two get a room…off hospital grounds?" Gayle said as she passed them and entered the Nurse's station.

"Now there's an idea," Tom said lowly as he bit down on his bottom lip and waggled his brows at Christina who in turn giggled and swatted at his arm. "I better get Daniels before he heads out to lunch." He then moved to the Nurse's desk and picked up a phone. Christina watched him for a moment, letting her eyes hungrily rake over his tall, lean, yet muscular frame.

"Nurse Hawthorne, right?" The Blonde still standing at her back called out as Christina made a sour face, at Bobbie who chuckled, before she turned to face the younger woman.

"Yes, Nurse Parker, right?"

"Yeah, wow look at you. Boy you're huge, bout ready to pop huh?" Nurse Parker said bubbly around a smirk and then walked off leaving Christina to stare after her in disbelief with her mouth agape. She jumped a bit when Tom came up behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her belly and leaned down and kissed her neck.

"Daniels said he'd handle the rest of my workload today, so I'm yours for the rest of the day. To do with and use as you please." Tom said as he again waggled his brows at her.

"Did you hear what that heifer just said to me?" Christina asked as she contemplated going after 'the heifer' and pulling every strand of that 'bleached' blonde hair out of her head.

"Who?" Tom asked as he leaned back up and looked about a bit.

"Your new girlfriend, Nurse Parker," Christina said in a girly voice as she turned to face him, rolling her neck as she spoke.

"My what? Uhm last I checked 'my' girlfriend's name is Nurse Hawthorne…wait is she any relation to you." He asked with a playful scowl on his face.

"Funny," Christina smirked a bit and she rolled her eyes at him. "She called me fat," Christina announced with a pout as she folded her arms and rested them atop her belly. Tom had to bite back a smile of endearment she invoked with her 'adorableness' because he knew she might interpret it the wrong way.

"Nurse Parker called you fat, are you sure you heard her rig…." His words halted at her icy glare. "OK what were her exact words?"

"She said I was 'huge'." She repeated.

"Weelll…" His eyes fell to her swollen belly and then back up at her eyes which were now squinting at him. He quickly swallowed the words that had instantly formed, and decided on something else. "I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it."

"Are you defending her?" She asked as her right eyes squinted even more. Tom clamped his mouth shut and he simply shook his head 'no'. "And don't think I didn't see the way she was flirting with you. Oh Dr. Wakefield, hee…hee…hee," Christina mimicked Nurse Parker's earlier act and reached out to swat at his chest, then rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest once more. "You think she's prettier than me don't you?"

"What? No…what?" Tom stammered completely at a loss for words and genuinely afraid to say something insensitive that might upset her. "Baby I love 'you', I only want 'you', and to me there's no woman on this planet…no in this entire universe who's more beautiful than you." Christina's face completely changed as a smiled graced her lips and a giggle fell from her mouth. "And you're totally messing with me right now aren't you?"

"Yeah just a little," She threw her head back and chuckled and the nurses at the station giggled out their amusement. "But Nurse Parker was totally flirting with you, and the heifer did call me fat. But I'm cool, I'm not worried. I know you love me and I love you and we're solid, right?"

"That's right," He smiled as he reached out and tugged on one of her loose curls.

"Now take me home, feed me, and then ravish me." She said as she grasped his arm and tugged him towards the exit.

"In that order?" He asked.

"Not necessarily, in fact I wou….Oooh," Her grip on his arm tightened as her other hand clutched at her belly. They both looked down towards the floor and saw fluids seeping from under the pant legs of the overalls she wore, and pooling at her feet.

"Your water broke," Tom announced as they both stood frozen in place, staring down at the wet floor. "Your water just broke," He said more loudly. "We need to get you to a hospital."

"We're standing in a hospital sweetie," Christina said calmly with a kind smile, which crumbled when the first contraction hit her. "Ooohhh….Wooo…wooo…wooo," She puffed out breaths as it subsided.

"Oh we need a doctor…We need a doctor over here!" Tom yelled out gaining Bobbie and the other nurse's attention. Bobbie was the first to rush to them.

"Baby, you are a doctor…unnnnnggg," Christina said around another contraction.

"Right… so I should know what to do. What we need…we need a gurney," He said as he moved to the nearest examination room, where he found a teenaged boy hugging his arm to his chest with a woman, Tom assumed was the boy's mother standing at his bed side. Tom hurried forward and grasped his chart and skimmed over. "It says you fell during a hockey game, possibly fractured your elbow. Ok get up."

"Excuse me?" The mother spoke out.

"I said get up, he hurt his elbow doesn't say there's anything wrong with his legs, and I need this gurney because I'm about to have a baby." His words garnered a look from both mother and child. "My girlfriend is about to have 'our' baby and I don't want him born on the floor so, Get. Up." The boy complied and Tom unlocked the gurney and pushed it out to where Bobbie and Gayle held Christina up from both sides. The look of pain that shaded Christina's face and the beads of sweat that had formed on her brow told him that the contractions were intensifying, and hitting her more frequently. "OK baby let's get you up here," He said as he reached out and scooped her up effortlessly into his arms, settling her onto the gurney.

"What do you think, still time for an epidural?" Bobbie asked as she and Gayle helped Tom push Christina to the elevators, to take her up to labor and delivery. Christina could only shake her head as she continued focusing on her breathing; in through the nose and then out the mouth. "Ok how far apart are they."

"Less than a full minute," Christina huffed out and then went back to her breathing.

"Well someone's anxious, huh?" Bobbie asked around a smile as she stroked her friend's damp hair. Tom remained silent as he grasped Christina's hand and lifted it to his lips.

"Camille," Christina said in a winded voice.

"I'll call her," Gayle offer as she stopped short of entering the elevator with them. You just focus on your breathing." She ordered just before the doors closed.

* * *

They had only been in the birthing room for 10 minutes and already Christina was stuck with the overwhelming pressure and the urge to push, but she held back. She knew she couldn't push until her doctor had arrived and given the ok.

"GOD!" She nearly screamed as another contraction hit. She clamped down harder on Tom's hand as he sat at her bedside holding her hand and occasionally wiping a damp towel across her forehead. After a long moment the pain let up enough to allow her to speak coherently. "I remember this now," She panted out as her sweat and tears wet her face. "This pain and I remember swearing that I would never, ever put myself through this again. What the hell am I doing here?"

"It's gonna be ok," Tom consoled as he wiped at her brow and she frowned at him with a loathing look.

"'This' is 'all' your fault," She stated and he remained calm as he nodded his head in agreement. "You are never touching me again Tom Wakefield, and I don't care how good it is, never, again."

"I know baby." He reassured as he leaned up and kissed her forehead. Suddenly the door flew open and Camille rushed in with Bobbie trailing behind her.

"Mom, are you ok?" She cried out as she rushed to the other side of her mother's bed and grasped her other hand. A contraction prohibited a response from Christina.

"How's our patient?" Another voice asked from the door and they all turned to see Christina's OBYN Dr. Patel enter the room with another nurse.

"She's just proclaimed a new life of celibacy," Tom said casually and everyone in the room except Christina, who was breathing through a contraction and Camille who was focused on her mom, shared a knowing smile and gave a nod of their heads.

"Then we must be close," The OBGYN announced as she pulled a stool to the foot of the bed where Christina's feet were already up in the stirrups attached to either side of the bed. Once the doctor had securely pulled on her gloves she lifted the blankets back a bit. "Correction," She said and Tom locked concerned eyes with her.

"What…is there something wrong?" He asked as panic filled him.

"No, the baby's head is fully crowned and it's time to have ourselves a baby, Nurse Jackson would you mind assisting?"

"Not at all Dr. Patel," Bobbie said as she grabbed some gloves and moved to the foot of the bed and placed a reassuring hand on one of Christina's feet while she waited.

"OK Christina, anytime you're ready you can start pushing."

"Ok," Christina winced out as she pulled on both Tom and Camille's hand to sit up. Tom stood and moved to sit behind her on the bed offering her back support. "Uhhnnnnn," She clinched her teeth and bore down as hard a she could, while Bobbie and the other nurse counted out loud…7, 8, 9, and 10. "Aaaarrggghh!" Christina screamed as she ended the push and slouched back exhausted against Tom's broad chest. He kissed her temple and whispered words of love and encouragement in French into her ear. His words though she didn't understand did calm her.

"Ok I think one more big push oughta do it," Dr. Patel said and Christina was up instantly and bearing down with all her might as she groaned and grunted. "OK stop, stop, stop…" Dr. Patel commanded and Christina did as she was told as she rested her head back against Tom once more. Tom's worried eyes watched Dr. Patel as she moved about behind the sheet and then they locked onto Bobbie's, whose held tears as her face beamed with a smile. Before he could ask what was wrong the squawks of a baby filled the room, and both Tom and Camille yelped out their joy. "You have a beautiful son." Dr. Patel stated as she stood with the baby and settled him atop Christina's chest. Christina instinctively grasped her baby in a loving embrace. She kissed his tiny head and sobbed out her happiness.

"Oh I remember this part too…yeah this was the part that made it all worth it." She said as she angled her head back and stared up at Tom, who was openly crying around a goofy smile with his eyes locked onto his son.

"Time to cut the cord daddy," Bobbie spoke out as she held up the shears. Tom wiped at his eyes and then slowly extracted himself from the bed, making sure to gently rest Christina's back against the pillows. Then he moved to the foot of the bed and grasped the shears from Bobbie and cut the umbilical cord where she instructed. He then quickly moved back up to where his family; Christina, Camille, and his son Thomas lay in the bed. Christina leaned up a bit to allow him to squeeze back into his position behind her. They remained curled up with each other for the next hour just watching and holding on to each other, before sleep had finally claimed Christina and Thomas.

* * *

Soreness and a dull ache between her legs were the first things to welcome her back to consciousness. Then it was the bright morning sun that blazed through the windows, which had her squinting as she opened her eyes. The demand she had on the tip of her tongue about closing the blinds died the instant her eyes fell onto Tom, who stood at one of the window, cradling their newborn son, both of them bathed in light as if they had been heaven sent. She smiled as she watched Tom speaking softly to their son, she could make out enough of it to know that he was speaking French, and her smile broadened. Her eyes shifted a bit to the right of where her 'Toms' stood and fell to a sleeping Camille who was curled up in the recliner in the corner of the room, and her heart swelled even more. Christina curled on her side more comfortably as her eyes locked back onto Tom. She watched him in awe, in love, in adoration at his tender and gentle handling of their baby. He was so engrossed that she had watched him unaware for nearly an hour and a half before his eyes finally looked over and locked onto hers. When the huge smile spread across his face Christina was hit with such a profound revelation and an intense 'need' that compelled two words to fall from her lips without doubt or hesitation.

"Marry me," She asked softly.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note**: _Ok here it is the Finale! I sincerly hope that you guys enjoyed the read, I sure enjoyed writing it. I was so inspired that it just poured out of me. Usually my fics can take, sometimes, years to complete. So I've been amazed that this was fully writing in under and week, especially given the things going on in real-life for me right now. Anyway here you go, and thanks for all the support and kind reviews._

* * *

"God I hate you," Bobbie stated as she stood behind Christina who stood in front of a full length mirror staring at herself.

"Wow, that's supportive and just what I want to hear from my bridesmaid on my wedding day." Christina replied as she stared amusingly at Bobbie's reflection in the mirror.

"I mean look at you," Bobbie continued as if she hadn't heard Christina's words, her face holding a sour look. "Here you are a successful woman with two beautiful kids about to marry a drop dead gorgeous doctor." Christina's face held a smug look as she nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah I see your point I'd hate me too, if I weren't me."

"And all of that isn't even why I hate you," Bobbie stated and Christina threw her a confused look. "I hate you because you had a baby a little over 2 months ago…2 months and you're already back down to a size what, size 2?"

"Size 0, actually," Christina corrected as she tweaked the crown on her head and then turned fully around to face her best girlfriend.

"You wear a size 'nothing'? Oh I really hate you," Bobbie's scrunched up face swiftly melted into a smile. "You look so beautiful."

"You think Tom will like it?" Christina asked and she twirled a bit and looked down at herself insecurely.

"Ssh…yeah, I bet he won't even make it from the ceremony to the reception before he's cornered you in some broom closet with your skirt hiked up, consummating your marriage."

"Oh I do like to get my freak on in broom closets," Christina teased with a smile.

"Oh you lil ho you," Bobbie teased back just as a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Christina called out and Camille popped her head in first and then entered fully closing the door behind her.

"Oh mom you look so beautiful like a fairytale princess." Camille cooed causing Christina to twirl completely around to show off her dress. The dress was a one of a kind designed creation flown in from Paris, Tom's parents had been insistent on paying for it. Though it had been Christina's choice of design from the princess cut bodice that was encrusted with crystals that dripped sporadically down to the silky fabric of the dress's bottom, which flowed out about her making her feel more like Scarlett O'Hara than Cinderella. She had picked the 'cheapest' choicest but Tom's mother paid for the most 'expensive' material, that Tom swore her never to indulge to Christina. So she stood wearing a $150,000 diamond tiara, a $500,000 wedding dress, and a pair of $25,000 satin jewel encrusted pumps, and was none the wiser. "Grandpa Jean-Luc, wanted me to tell you that they're ready to start whenever you are."

"Grandpa Jean-Luc?" Christina repeated around a smile?

"He and Grandma Anne-Marie insisted, they said I was family now by blood…through TJ, and soon by marriage. And that they planned to love and spoil me as rotten and as much as they will TJ. How could I resist that?" Camille asked and both Christina and Bobbie rolled their eyes upward and chuckled. "So you ready?"

"Yeah, all set except I don't have my bouquet."

"What…wait you don't have a bouquet. You said you didn't want a bouquet. I thought the plan was I walk you down the aisle while you carry TJ and we all stand at the alter together. It's supposed to symbolize the marriage as a merging of us into one family," Camille stated as her eyes bugged out a bit at the thought something had been overlooked.

"Yes…that would technically make TJ the bouquet, and I left him with 'you'. Where's my baby Camille?" Christina asked as she glared at her daughter slightly.

"Oh…uh…I left him in Tom's dressing room. I made the mistake of checking on Tom first and when he and Grandpa Jean-Luc saw TJ they swarmed on me, I barely made it out alive." Camille said dramatically and Christina rolled her eyes just as dramatically.

"Right, go get my son so we can get this show on the road please."

* * *

The actual wedding ceremony had gone off without a hitch, and was over in less than 30 minutes. A big difference from the original time of 2 hours; which would have entailed a carriage ride to the outdoors venue, a ceremony to give homage to Tom's Jewish heritage, which included a ketuba, a wedding canopy, and then breaking of glass. Then for Christina's African heritage they would have had the pouring of libations for the ancestors and blessings of the elders, and then finally 'jumping the broom'. The thought of baking out in the Virginia sun for two hour or more had been the deciding factor for the short and sweet ceremony and since neither Christina nor Tom were 'active' participants in their religious faiths, there had been no objections from either side.

"God I love you," He breathed into her ears as he kissed her temple. She let out a happy sigh and a smile as she kept her eyes closed and tugged him closer into her embrace.

"I love you too, so much." She huffed out against his neck.

"So Mrs. Hawthorne-Wakefield, are you happy?" Tom asked as he leaned back a bit to stare down into her glowing face.

"You just gave me 'two' massive orgasms in a five minute time frame. Oh yeah I'm very happy right now." She said with hooded eyes and a goofy smile. His laughter bounced around the small storage closet.

"Glad to hear it, but that's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant," She said as she reached up and cupped his face with her right hand and stared intensely into his eyes. "I could tell you that becoming your wife, being your wife makes me happy, but I would be lying." Her words caused the amorous smile to slip from Tom's face and he could only stare back at her with a look of fear and confusion. "Because what I'm feeling right now, it's so much more than happiness." She continued as warm tears slid down her cheeks, just as they sprang into Tom's eyes. "There's not a word in the human vocabulary to describe this joy inside of me right now. So," She sniffed back more tears and righted herself from her slanted position up against the wall, as she tugged up her panties and then pushed her dress back down, trying to smooth out any wrinkles. "I'll have to get back to you about that." He chuckled as he stepped back and readjusted himself back inside his pants and zipped up. "We better get back out there, before they notice that the two stars of the show have gone missing." She spoke as she wiped at her dampened face. "How do I look?" Tom only arched a brow and then pointed down to the crotch of his pants, which held the tell-tell signs of a new bulge emerging. Christina's eyes widened as she snorted out a laugh. "Stop that."

"Hey, it's all your fault, don't blame me." He said innocently and she giggled.

"Well you have to stay in here until it goes away, I'm going to head back out to the festivities and find Bobbie, 'cause she owes me 50 bucks."

"Why?"

"She bet me you wouldn't even make it to the reception before you ravished me in some closet," She replied and he chuckled. "You lasted a full 30 minutes 'after' the reception started before you ravished me." She waggled her brows and then moved to the door and opened it to exit.

"Hey," Tom called out softly and she turned to regard him. "I love you wife."

"And I love you husband," She replied around a huge smile before exiting the closet and closing the door behind her. She rested her weight against the closed door for a moment as she took a deep cleansing breath and thought more on his question about being happy. She nodded her head and decided 'yes' if that was all there was to compare the feeling to then yes she was very, very happy. But she just couldn't help thinking that 'that' word 'happy' just didn't do her feelings justice, didn't do the new journey she had embarked on justice, and so she decided she would think on it and come up with something better even if she had to make up a new word herself, and she was sure that in time she would.

The End!


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